


Leave this world alive

by smaragdbird



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Reunions, M/M, Reunions, Rogue One Crew - Freeform, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:54:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29427027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smaragdbird/pseuds/smaragdbird
Summary: Galen had always assumed he'd be killed once the Death Star was finished, so he's not surprised when a group of stormtroopers takes him into custody.
Relationships: Galen Erso/Bodhi Rook
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Leave this world alive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rosecake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosecake/gifts).



A part of Galen had always assumed that he would be executed once the Death Star was complete, especially given Krennic’s untimely and suspicious death and Bodhi’s defection. But it seemed that no one had connected those two to him, or perhaps it was the subsequent destruction of the Death Star that had saved it his life.

The Rebellion had broadcasted their triumph over every available channel and where the destruction of Scarif and Jedha had been covered up, the destruction of Alderaan hadn’t been.

The entire galaxy knew about the Death Star now and they knew it had been destroyed by the Rebellion.

It was the sweetest victory Galen could have imagined if not for his worry about Bodhi. He had sent him to Jedha, to Saw Gerrera, but Jedha was a ruin now with untold casualties both from the impact of the Death Star’s ray and the aftermath.

Tarkin had tested the Death Stat to make an example, a preview of what would happen to Alderaan, ad just like with Alderaan there were no known survivors of Jedha.

But Alderaan had felt the entire might of the Death Star whereas Jedha had been only subjected to a quarter of its destructive power. There was a chance, Galen told himself without believing it, that Bodhi had made it out in time.

“Galen Erso?” An officer stopped to ask him. He was small and had the accent of someone from an outer rim world where basic was not the native language. Knowing the Empire’s classism being stationed on a star destroyer with a high enough security clearance to evacuate Eadu would probably be the end of this man’s career.

“Yes?” Galen replied. He was unsure why the Empire was evacuating them when they had served their purpose.

“Please follow me”, the officer said without introducing himself. Only now Galen noticed that a Kx droid was accompanying him, no doubt to secure him should he attempt to escape.

As if there was somewhere for him to run. He had fulfilled his purpose, both for the Empire and the Rebellion.

Two stormtroopers joined them in the next corridor so that Galen was surrounded from all sides now, leaving no doubt in his mind that he was being brought to his execution. The thought filled him with calm. He had never believed in a higher power such as the Force and yet he was not afraid to die. 

Perhaps, if Lyra had been right in her belief, they would be reunited in the Force. Perhaps Bodhi would be there as well and maybe Jyn though Galen hoped that would not be the case. Krennic had never found Jyn or he would have used her against him so Galen had reason to believe she was alive and well, living a life he would never be part of again.

The officer took a sharp right turn and stopped them in front of an airlock, gesturing for the droid to open it. Galen would have preferred to get shot but maybe he could still do that if he ran now. The droid was busy and the two stormtroopers would surely shoot him rather than chase after him when he was a dead man either way.

Just as he was about to follow his plan, one of the stormtroopers took his arm. “I wouldn’t do that if I was you.” He had an accent too, albeit different from the one of his officers, and his voice sounded calming.

“Do what?” Galen feigned ignorance.

The airlock opened but to Galen’s surprise there wasn’t the emptiness of space waiting on the other side of the outer door but a ship. An imperial shuttle just like the one Bodhi had always flown.

“Quick”, the officer said and the stormtrooper, who was still holding Galen’s arm, ushered him into the shuttle and the doors closed behind them. “Kay, get us out of here”, the officer told the droid.

The stormtroopers took off their helmets, revealing a long-haired man of Galen’s age and a young woman with bright blue eyes. She looked familiar although Galen couldn’t say why. He had rarely met any of the stormtroopers stationed on Eadu without their helmets on.

“Dad!” She said and then she rushed towards him and threw her arms around him.

It took Galen a moment to understand what was happening, to process the word she had said. “Jyn?” He asked disbelievingly. Extracting himself from her embrace enough to look at her face again. “My Stardust?”

She laughed, tears clinging to her lashes. “It’s me, dad. It’s me.”

For fifteen years Galen’s only image of her had been the little girl he had left behind but his daughter was grown now, an adult and he would never be able to recover the years he missed. Yet at the same time she was here, she was alive and healthy and free. He buried his face in her hair so that she wouldn’t see his tears. “Jyn.”

“It’s okay, dad, I’m here.”

Galen didn’t know how long he was holding her but it wasn’t long enough. She withdrew slightly from his embrace and smiled up at him. He could see Lyra in every line of her face and he wished she could be here as well, to see what a beautiful and brave woman their daughter had grown up to.

“I’m sure I’m not the only one who missed you”, she said with a smile and tilted her head slightly. 

Galen hadn’t noticed that someone else had climbed down into the loading room and he certainly hadn’t expected…

“Hey Galen.”

Bodhi looked exactly like the last time Galen had seen him, he was even wearing the same overall and had his goggles pushed up into his hair that was held back from his face in a messy ponytail.

Galen took three steps towards him but stopped short of actually touching Bodhi as if he was scared that he was only a Force apparition. “I heard about Jedha and I thought…”

“It was close.” A grimace passed over Bodhi’s face and for a moment his eyes became a little distant.

“I’m sorry”, Galen said, knowing his words didn’t mean anything. He had sent Bodhi to Jedha, to Saw Gerrera, and that was why Krennic had decided to destroy it.

“Only you would apologise for saving the galaxy.”

Galen reached out, carefully trailing his fingertips over the side of Bodhi’s face. “You’re real.” He felt his voice crack.

“Yes, I’m real, all of this is real Galen”, Bodhi’s smile was as bright as all the stars of the galaxy combined, but more than that it was the warmth of his skin, the way he leaned into Galen’s touch, the little scar at his hairline, that convinced him.

Galen couldn’t help himself; he wrapped his arms around Bodhi and held him tight before kissing him. 

“I thought I had lost you”, he whispered into Bodhi’s hair. He even still smelled the same, like cheap soap and machine oil and that tea blend he always drank.

“I’m here, Galen, I promise.” Bodhi’s arms around his waist squeezed him just as tightly as Galen held him. “I told you I’d come back for you.”

It had been a promise neither of them had believed he’d be able to keep and yet here they were. Galen eased his grip on Bodhi slightly so he could look at him. “I love you.”

It was the first time he had ever dared to say it. 

“I love you, too”, Bodhi said, smiling, as he cupped Galen’s face in his hands and drew him into another kiss. 

“Ugh, organics”, the droid said somewhere in the background, followed by, what sounded like a elbow colliding with an unmovable metal mass and a pained, human hiss.

Galen broke the kiss, suddenly very conscious of their audience which included his daughter. He turned to Captain Andor, who was rubbing his elbow, and said, “Thank you, Captain.”

“Don’t thank me too soon Erso. The Empire is hunting us. They’ll hunt you, especially.”

“You’ve reunited me with my family. That’s more than I could ever hope for.” He wrapped an arm around Bodhi’s shoulders and smiled at Jyn, who smiled back. “Would you mind telling me how you destroyed the Death Star?”

Jyn tilted her head and looked at Bodhi. “Do you want to start or should I?”

“You can start”, Bodhi replied.

“So, I’m in this Imperial labour camp…”


End file.
